What Is Parsley Oil?

Parsley oil is cooking oil that has been flavored with the herb parsley. This oil is often used for medicinal purposes, to treat mild joint pain and stomach discomforts. Other herbs may be blended with this base ingredient to suit the needs of the chef and intended recipes with which it will be used. This oil can serve as a cooking medium for many different types of meat, or can be poured over salad and vegetables to create a delicious dressing.

Freshly clipped parsley tends to create a strong flavor and more vibrant color when used as a base for parsley oil. Dried parsley may alternatively be used if fresh herbs are not available, however, the overall results are more muted. Other herbs may be blended with the parsley to create a wide variety of flavors to compliment any dish. Popular choices of other herbs used includes basil, thyme, and rosemary. When using this ingredient for medicinal purposes, only fresh herbs will provide the maximum amount of nutritional benefits.

The herb is first blanched before combining it with the oil. To blanch herbs, they are submerged in a sieve in a pot of boiling water. Once they have been exposed to the extreme heat for several minutes, they are immediately removed and placed in a bowl of ice water. This instantly stops the cooking process and allows the greens to release their flavor into the oil rather than into the boiling water.

Any type of oil may be used as the final ingredient for parsley oil, but vegetable oil is the type of oil most commonly used with this type of recipe. Its consistency is slightly thinner than that of other oils, and its flavor less biting. Olive oil provides a more viscous medium with which to blend the processed herbs, and is typically more flavorful. Extra virgin varieties may be used by those who prefer a more mild flavor for their oil.

The blanched herbs should be placed in a blender or food processor with half of the amount of oil that will be used. These two ingredients are blended together until the mixture is medium green in color. At this point, the remainder of the oil is added to the mixture and blended until it is light green. This mixture should be refrigerated overnight to allow all of the flavors to fully merge together, and then strained through a cheesecloth to produced the finished parsley oil product.

Parsley oil can be used as a cooking base for other foods, or as a dressing. It may be poured over a hot skillet and used to stir fry chicken and strip steak. This flavored oil is often used as a dipping sauce for crusty, herbed breads, as an alternative to plain olive oil. When combined with salt, pepper, and fresh chopped herbs, it can be used to create a light salad dressing for summer vegetables, such as cucumbers, squash, and green peppers.

This essential oil is often used as a natural home remedy to treat a variety of disorders. Parsley, when distilled into oil and consumed orally, acts as a diuretic. It increases the amount of blood filtered by the kidney, and actively improves the body's ability to remove toxins. Individuals suffering from mild arthritis and rheumatoid joint pain can sometimes benefit from consuming this food daily. Uric acid, which is usually the source of this type of pain, is more readily removed from the body during the blood filtering process and users can experience a lessening of both swelling and pain in their joints.

Gastric cramping, which can often be the result of constipation, may be relieved by consuming parsley oil. This food can act as a laxative and encourage regular bowl movements. It can also encourage the digestion of foods in the stomach and decrease the amount of gas produced in both the stomach and the bowels.